Container including a valve

ABSTRACT

A container ( 1 ) including a valve ( 2 ) serves to discharge a product located in container ( 1 ), particularly a hair care product provided with a propellant. Container ( 1 ) shows a circumferential sleeve ( 3 ) at its top. A valve disk ( 4 ) grips under the sleeve ( 3 ) with its skirt ( 5 ) and encloses a passage ( 6 ). A sealing device ( 8 ) seals the valve disk ( 4 ) with respect to the sleeve ( 3 ). To prevent that the sleeve ( 3 ) is deformed towards the interior if the container ( 1 ), which is made of plastic, heats up, a circumferential ring ( 9 ) is put into the gap between the sleeve ( 3 ) and the valve ( 2 ).

Object of the present application is a container including a valve that is suitable, for example, for storing and discharge of hair spray or another hair care product. The valve serves to apply the product, e.g. for a manual operation of the spray head.

A container for a hair salon product is known from JP 2002-012277 A that is manufactured from PET plastic and includes a propellant. A valve disk of the container is reformed to stabilize an upper sleeve of the container in all directions. The container does not show a separate sealing device between the sleeve and the valve disk.

A container pursuant to the generic term of claim 1 is known from DE 199 24 098 A including a valve for discharge of a product located in a container, whereas the container shows a surrounding sleeve at the top. A valve disk grips under the sleeve with its skirt and encloses a passage for a valve stem, which is connected to the valve. A sealing device seals the valve disk with respect to the sleeve.

This known container consists of metal and serves to discharge a liquid product, which contains a propellant. It has the disadvantage that it is relatively heavy because, in addition to its metallic structure, it shows a large valve that reaches up to the sleeve.

If this container were made of PET, for example, (polyethylene terephthalate) and were provided with a significantly smaller valve with respect to the sleeve, a decreased mass could be achieved, the plastic could, however, soften during warming of the container, whereas the upper sleeve of the container could separate from the skirt of the valve disk so that the product could flow from the container at that location in an undesired way.

Object of the present invention is to find a light and secure container pursuant to the generic term of claim 1.

The object is achieved according to the characteristic part of claim 1. According to claim 1 the container is made of plastic and a circumferential ring around the valve is provided between the sleeve and the valve.

The proposed container has the advantage that it is relatively light due to the relatively light plastic, and a valve or a valve body that does not reach up to the skirt and thus can be easily held and operated manually, for example for output of a hairspray. Additionally, commercially available valves of different pressure gauges can be used. The container is secure regarding undesired product discharge when heated up. Even during softening of the plastic the sleeve can not be deformed and thus form a leakage. While the ring prevents that the sleeve deforms towards the interior of the container, the edge of the valve disk limits the sleeve towards the outside. In this way no leakage can build up in the area of the sleeve, even when the container warms up to, for example, 176° F. (80° C.) for a PET container. The valve disk can not crack off, either.

If the ring is fixated in its position it can not fall down and lose its securing function, even when the container heats up. The fixation of the ring between the valve, or, more accurately stated, the outer circumference of the valve body that contains the valve and the sleeve of the container can be implemented in different ways. The ring can, for example, be propped up by a circumferential edge of the valve or the sleeve. This edge forms a fixation element for the position of the ring. Or the ring consists of an elastic material and is connected with the sealing device, e.g. in one part together with the seal, which provides mounting advantages. The ring can also, however, consist of a non-elastic material and be connected via a connection to the sealing device.

Three exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to drawings follow below. A respective partial vertical sectional cut shows in

FIG. 1 a container that provides a ring at its sleeve, the ring being propped up by a circumferential edge of a valve;

FIG. 2 a container that provides a ring and a sealing device in one part on a valve disk, and

FIG. 3 a container that provides a ring at its sleeve that is propped up by a circumferential edge of the sleeve.

A container 1 including a valve 2 for discharge of a hair care product, which is situated in container 1 and can be released through a valve stem 7 and is provided with a propellant, shows a circumferential sleeve 3 at the top (FIG. 1). A valve disk 4 grips under the sleeve 3 with its skirt 5 and encloses a passage 6 for a valve stem 7, which is connected to the valve 2. A sealing device 8 seals the valve disk 4 with respect to the sleeve 3. The container 1 is made of plastic and is therefore relatively light. A ring 9 circumscribing the valve 2 is provided between the sleeve 3 and the valve 2. It contacts the valve 2 as well as the sleeve 3. Regarding its strength it is fitted into the gap between the sleeve 3 and the valve 2 and serves to keep the sleeve 3 securely above the skirt 5 and next to sealing device 8 if the sleeve 3 softened due to high ambient temperature. Ring 9 also prevents that sleeve 3 could deform towards the interior with respect to valve 2. In this way ring 9 ensures that container 1 remains tightly sealed even during intense heating of the plastic of container 1. Valves 2 or valve bodies of any diameter can be used. The material strength of ring 9 is chosen in a respective manner.

Ring 9 is fixated in its position in order not to fall down during a heating of the plastic. Ring 9, which is made of a non-elastic material (PET), is connected via a connection 12 (glue area) with the sealing device 8, for one thing. Furthermore, a circumferential edge 11 of valve 2 is provided to prop up ring 9.

For the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention—in contrast to the first one—the ring 9 consists of an elastic sealing material and is made out of one form together with the sealing device 8 that lays on top of sleeve 3 in order not to fall down.

Ring 9 is not connected to sealing device 8 in the third exemplary embodiment of the present invention. A circumferential edge 13 of sleeve 3 serves as fixating element for ring 9, with sleeve 3 being propped up by ring 9. Ring 9 is made of non-elastic PET.

-   1 Container -   2 Valve -   3 Sleeve -   4 Valve disk -   5 Skirt -   6 Passage -   7 Valve stem -   8 Sealing device -   9 Ring -   10 Riser outlet -   11 Edge -   12 Connection -   13 Edge

All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the Invention are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference; the citation of any document is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention. To the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this written document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to the term in this written document shall govern.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention. 

1. A container (1) comprising a valve (2) for discharge of a product located in container (1), particularly a hair care product provided with a propellant, wherein the container (1) shows a circumferential sleeve (3) at the top, wherein a valve disk (4) grips under a sleeve (3) with its skirt (5) and encloses a passage (6) for a valve stem (7), which is connected to the valve (2), and whereas a sealing device (8) seals the valve disk (4) with respect to the sleeve (3), characterized in that the container (1) is made of plastic and in that a circumferential ring (9) around valve (2) is provided between the sleeve (3) and the valve (2).
 2. A container according to claim 1, characterized in that ring (9) is fixated in its position.
 3. A container according to claim 2, characterized in that a circumferential edge (11) of the valve (2) or a circumferential edge (13) of the sleeve (3) is provided as a fixating element, which props up the ring (9).
 4. A container according to claim 2, characterized in that the ring (9) is made of an elastic material and is connected with sealing device (8).
 5. A container according to claim 2, characterized in that ring (9) is made of a non-elastic material and is connected via a connection (12) with the sealing device (8). 